I usually pull the bolt, wrap it in a rag and stuff it into a shoe in the Tuffpak. Protects against a broken stock from taking a blow on the bolt handle.

quote:

Take the bolt out of your rifles fellas. The first 4 guys that went ahead of me all had the bolts in their rifles and the officer gave them hell.

Why was the officer giving them a hard time? I don't know of any regulation requiring bolts be out of the receivers. But then, a) I don't know everything, and b) it's Atlanta.

I lived in Atlanta for almost 30 years before moving to Florida and hated even the thought of going in or out of Hartsfield-Jackson.

it is not in the regs , however,
hear of many running into the bolt out demands it lately

I am used to my rifle being tightly wedged into a custom cut foam. In the Tuffpak the rifles are in soft cases but there is room for them to flop around a bit. The way baggage people toss stuff around...the looseness worries me a little. Is this not a problem? It seems a stock could get broken or a scope knocked off easily. Am I wrong?

Take advantage of the extra room, with jackets, extra clothing, boots, etc. They keep the rifle(s) protected as well.

Agreed but with a max weight of 50 lbs...18 for the case, 20 for 2 soft cased rifles, that only leaves 12 lbs for extra filler items.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
Agreed but with a max weight of 50 lbs...18 for the case, 20 for 2 soft cased rifles, that only leaves 12 lbs for extra filler items.

12 lbs would be a lot clothing.

Pelican's website says their 1750 case weighs 25.57 pounds with the foam, so much less room than the tuffpak.

I also have an Americase 2 rifle aluminum case. It weight 22 pounds.


I think 18 pounds for a 2 rifle case is fairly light.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
I am used to my rifle being tightly wedged into a custom cut foam. In the Tuffpak the rifles are in soft cases but there is room for them to flop around a bit. The way baggage people toss stuff around...the looseness worries me a little. Is this not a problem? It seems a stock could get broken or a scope knocked off easily. Am I wrong?

I've seen scopes get damaged in tuff pak cases. The eyepiece was sheared off of my wife's rifle when we went to Namibia.

Jeremy

Yeah...my current choice case is a Starlight (not Pelican as I stated above). I just weighed it and it weighs 23.35 lbs.

I am going to get a Tuffpak and try it.

Lane
I haven't been disappointed with either of the Tuffpaks and have used them over the past 6 trips.
Dang near indestructable. Plenty of room to pack around the rifles with softer stuff for padding.

My goal is to take all the kit I like to have with 2 rifles in 2 bags each at 50 lbs along with my backpack and not have my back pack over-stuffed.

I believe 12 lbs out of the duffel and into the Tuffpak will get that done. Seems everytime when I pack my duffel like I want it...it is about 65 lbs.

Have always worried about my rifles in a Tuffpak.

With a double...does everyone hall them intact in the Tuffpak? I always take mine apart in my Starlight.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
My goal is to take all the kit I like to have with 2 rifles in 2 bags each at 50 lbs along with my backpack and not have my back pack over-stuffed.

I believe 12 lbs out of the duffel and into the Tuffpak will get that done. Seems everytime when I pack my duffel like I want it...it is about 65 lbs.

Have always worried about my rifles in a Tuffpak.

With a double...do must hall them intact in the Tuffpak? I always take mine apart in my Starlight.

If you want a Tuffpak, be glad to sell you mine along with the Tuffsack. Love the concept, and made two trips with it to Africa (soft cases, shooting sticks, clothes, etc). First trip - no issues. Second trip - my stock on my double was cracked during the return. On the departure, I watched a TSA SOB slam it to the floor. I traveled with a double and a bolt, with the double assembled in one piece. Doubles don't travel too well in this way when people slam them from upright to the floor .... Since then I've only used Boyt or Pelican with cut-out foam, and doubles taken apart. Last few trips have been 2 doubles and a bolt (traveling with my sons), and I can get all in a Boyt hard case, with doubles taken apart, and stay under 70lbs.

The long Tuffpak would be fine for a double and a bolt, but you need to get a soft case for the double that allows it to be transported in take-down mode, or a long enough case that you can take down the double and fold it like a taco.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
My goal is to take all the kit I like to have with 2 rifles in 2 bags each at 50 lbs along with my backpack and not have my back pack over-stuffed.

I believe 12 lbs out of the duffel and into the Tuffpak will get that done. Seems everytime when I pack my duffel like I want it...it is about 65 lbs.

Have always worried about my rifles in a Tuffpak.

With a double...do must hall them intact in the Tuffpak? I always take mine apart in my Starlight.

When I traveled with a double I always took it apart and put it in its case which then went into my tuffsak then tuffpak. This configuration can be a pain, because you usually have to take the tuffsak all the way out so they can inspect the double.

Another reason I think TP is an over priced POS: If the locks break on your trip you're SOL. I carry replacement locks for my SKB just in case. Never had to use them, but it is peace of mind.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Another reason I think TP is an over priced POS: If the locks break on your trip you're SOL. I carry replacement locks for my SKB just in case. Never had to use them, but it is peace of mind.
Cal

My tuffpak is the pad lock model. I also carry replacement locks. No different than SKB or Pelican or Americase.

I had two rifles in thick, padded cases with jackets, etc. stuffed inside. We hunted two provinces with in-country flights. Neither rifle needed any adjustment for zero.

Lane, I added foam (from a very thick yoga mat) inside each end of my TuffPak to reduce the impact on my guns if the thing was dropped on either end from a high place by the baggage monkeys. I also wrapped some egg crate foam around my soft cases (together, they formed the meat inside a single foam burrito), though I understand the value of that is debated. I used the case to go back and forth to Zambia with three guns (double rifle, light rifle, and .375) as a client and then with the double and my Benelli M4 as an appy. It served as the storage locker for those guns throughout my apprenticeship and spent a fair amount of time bouncing around in different Landcruisers as I went from GMA to GMA. With two relatively heavy guns, I felt like I was still able to make some use of the additional capacity for boots, optics, and some clothes. If the guns are put in there the right way, it's easy to take the top off, unzip the back of the case, and slide the gun out for number checking. The wheels are very nice, and the fact that it doesn't look like a gun case is kind of helpful, I think. If I ever get back over there, I'll take my TuffPak instead of one of my other cases.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
My goal is to take all the kit I like to have with 2 rifles in 2 bags each at 50 lbs along with my backpack and not have my back pack over-stuffed.

I believe 12 lbs out of the duffel and into the Tuffpak will get that done. Seems everytime when I pack my duffel like I want it...it is about 65 lbs.

Have always worried about my rifles in a Tuffpak.

With a double...does everyone hall them intact in the Tuffpak? I always take mine apart in my Starlight.

I always take doubles apart and put them in a breakdown soft case. Sliding the buttstock out to check serial #s has never been a problem.

Have used an old Browning Travel Vault (2 trips), a cabala's aluminum one-gun case (3 trips), and a Tuffpak (10 trips). For one gun, I would not take the Tuffpak. Kind of bulky and more than you need, frankly. For two, though, I have found it to be a great choice. Using some foam or bubble wrap top and bottom, and clothing or bubble wrap around it. Never had a problem. Double rifle full length for half of those Tuffpak trips, without issue. Maybe I was a bit lucky. But I do feel better with a lot of insulation around the guns. I do like the idea of the bolt inside a shoe - will try that in my September trip to Namibia.

Also, I take a cable with clamps and cut to length, and padlocks along in case the vending machine lock gets hammered in some way. Then all I need to do is drill a hole and I have a Plan B conforming lock system.

My two cents!

Heavy duty bubble wrap is the ticket.

quote:

Originally posted by H T:
Have used an old Browning Travel Vault (2 trips), a cabala's aluminum one-gun case (3 trips), and a Tuffpak (10 trips). For one gun, I would not take the Tuffpak. Kind of bulky and more than you need, frankly. For two, though, I have found it to be a great choice. Using some foam or bubble wrap top and bottom, and clothing or bubble wrap around it. Never had a problem. Double rifle full length for half of those Tuffpak trips, without issue. Maybe I was a bit lucky. But I do feel better with a lot of insulation around the guns. I do like the idea of the bolt inside a shoe - will try that in my September trip to Namibia.

Also, I take a cable with clamps and cut to length, and padlocks along in case the vending machine lock gets hammered in some way. Then all I need to do is drill a hole and I have a Plan B conforming lock system.

My two cents!

I also have the vending machine lock. It has been mentioned you don’t want any TSA type locks on firearms.

There was a thread here a while back where someone did a little cutting and installed a hasp and padlock on their TuffPak. I wish I could find it again, as it was a good idea.

As others have said, it looks like a case for golf clubs. Clubs ain’t cheap these days, but less attractive to thieves than guns.

Tuffpaks seem to be the Blaser of the gun case world. Some swear by them and others swear at them.
Is
I have never tried one because it seems I get all the curious security people when traveling as they all want to see my firearms. For my purposes, I have found the American Case in a drop bottom duffle bag or an SKB case work best. I had an SKB case busted on the corners recently and SKB sent me a new case. I just had to pay shipping.

Safe travels

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
My goal is to take all the kit I like to have with 2 rifles in 2 bags each at 50 lbs --------
--------------
Have always worried about my rifles in a Tuffpak.
With a double...does everyone hall them intact in the Tuffpak? I always take mine apart in my Starlight.

Lane
I have used the liner bag in my TP cases.
I also break down the DR's, remove the scope or Doctor Red dot.
Place the DR's in Soft case with liner socks (vci)on each half with a little padding between the halves.
The two DR soft cases are placed side by side with an elastic strap around them near the breech area ,muzzle down.
With the zippers at the top of the TP, it creates ready access to the butt portions which are shown at gun check. 9/10 times with out removing the soft cases nor the barrels.
This works also (perhaps even better with one DR and one Bolt.

Clothes, extra boots, scope (encased in a pvc tube) etc are packed around the soft cases inside the sack.(in case ALL contents should need to be removed,)

When allowed the small locked ammo case(s) are in the very top of the TP.

As I said, have traveled with multiple brands of cases, the TP has been the easiest for (now) an old man.

quote:

Originally posted by SFRanger7GP:
Tuffpaks seem to be the Blaser of the gun case world. Some swear by them and others swear at them.
Is
I have never tried one because it seems I get all the curious security people when traveling as they all want to see my firearms. For my purposes, I have found the American Case in a drop bottom duffle bag or an SKB case work best. I had an SKB case busted on the corners recently and SKB sent me a new case. I just had to pay shipping.

Safe travels

I have drop bottom duffles from Beretta and Orvis, but I use the bottoms for boots or dirty clothes. For the most part, aren’t the guns supposed to be separate?

I have used a tuffpak for every trip other than my first one where I used a pelican and someone tried to break into it in joburg.

I like tuffpak.


This is how I pack them for the way over.


Go buy $10 Allen gun cases at academy. Normally buy 3-4 - put the guns in the cases and use the rest for padding. Buy a few small bungee cords. Make one big package of all the guns and empty gun cases.

Take some old jeans ect - put it at the bottom.

Go to Walmart and buy $100-200 worth of socks. Good quality athletic ones.

Put the rifles barrels first into the tuffpak with the base of jeans/any clothes and socks. Dump all the socks around the rifles till it’s packed.

Inside the lid of the tuffpack put more clothes.

Close the case.


If anyone wants to see the rifles you will be able to pull them out of the gun case enough for serial numbers. No one has asked to see more.

I leave everything in the tuffpack behind and buy 2 nice leather gun cases in zim on the return. Again tie them up and use my beretta jacked as base and other clothes as packing. It is pretty tight.

I normally leave my other bag, back pack and 90 percent of my clothes and shoes behind. Wear my crocs carry my camera and optics back in a light weight travel tote bag.

Only checked bag I coming back with is my tuffpack.

Mike

I have never had an issue. I have flown that way to the UK, Argentina, Africa and all over the US. My aluminum Americase for break down guns fits perfectly in the drop bottom of the canvas duffle bag I bought at Bass Pro in Grapevine.

Safe travels.

quote:

There was a thread here a while back where someone did a little cutting and installed a hasp and padlock on their TuffPak. I wish I could find it again, as it was a good idea.

I've done the same. I was concerned that a visegrips and enough force applied to the factory lock might break/bend the lock tabs inside and allow entry. I drilled through a rib in the top of the case and slide the lock through.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:

quote:

There was a thread here a while back where someone did a little cutting and installed a hasp and padlock on their TuffPak. I wish I could find it again, as it was a good idea.

I've done the same. I was concerned that a visegrips and enough force applied to the factory lock might break/bend the lock tabs inside and allow entry. I drilled through a rib in the top of the case and slide the lock through.

I’m shocked that you owned a rifle long enough to travel with it.

Hooker did a funny...Hooker did a funny!!!!!!! :-)

Biebes:
Just based on value alone, when you travel with your Tuff Pak, wrap your Blazers around the exterior to protect the Tuff Pak.
Cal
PS. Cal did a funny, Cal did a funny.`

No, that was a Tee Hee...didn't rate a Funny :-)

PS: It's Blaser...a blazer is what you wear to church on Sunday.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Hooker did a funny...Hooker did a funny!!!!!!! :-)